Thursday, April 15, 2010

Summary:It’s hard to be patient to grow up when you are a child. In this precious book by Ruth Krauss, we follow a little boy through four seasons as he questions his mother whether or not he is growing like all of the things around him. At the close of the book, we become overjoyed with the little boy because he no longer fits into his old clothes!He really is growing-just like his mother said!

Bible Verse:

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified youto share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1: 9-12)

OK . . . I recognize that this is a long verse and it has a few big words, but I just know that you can adapt it to your child. Our children are much like a big tree that grows or even the vegetables in our garden. We don’t always notice that they are growing until maybe the munchkin tries on some clothes from the previous year or they begin to complain about their shoes being too tight. At times our children become impatient that they can’t do “big kid” activities or play the games that an older sibling is participating in. Sometimes we as parents become frustrated that our little charge still needs help putting on a sock, zipping a coat, or even wiping their bottom. But as they grow, and as we take on this privilege of discipling (not to be confused with disciplining) our children with the Lord, each day is an opportunity to help our child GROW in the knowledge of the Lord, being strengthened with all power that they might be strong Redwoods for the Lord.

Activities

Watercolor:The Growing Story is a beautiful book filled with watercolor pages. Give your Tot the opportunity to paint some of the things that are growing outside. For this activity, we went outside in our PJ’s and Mr. Me-Too spent some time looking all around him. We talked about what God was causing to grow. He then had to choose something in nature to paint a picture of. Now, I will warn you . . . if you give a Tot a paintbrush – it might make his imagination see a dinosaur in the woods!

Our vantage point

The Artist

The View

The Final Product: A pterodactyl

Take a fieldtrip:
This time of year is the perfect time to visit a zoo or a farm. We actually did both, though I only have pictures of our trip to the farm. Both places are filled with birth and growth. At the zoo, we missed a live birth by about an hour! However, we got to see a calf take its first step! At the farm, where we get our milk, we have watched the calves grow this spring. It has been exciting for Mr. Me-Too to see them grow taller than he is in such a short time.

Clean out the closet:
Either dig out some clothes from last year, or find some clothes that your child wore at the beginning of the winter season. Purposefully choose an outfit that they have outgrown and have them try on their smaller clothes. Watch their surprise when they look in the mirror and see that they have grown. It would be especially fun if you found a picture of them wearing that outfit when it actually fit, and compare it to how it presently looks!

What Makes Me Grow?:
Discuss the things that a person needs to grow, such as water, good food, sleep, safety, etc. Expand on this according to your child’s age and understanding. You could even talk about what a plant needs to grow – sun, water, soil, and sometimes pruning.

Growth Chart:
Get a large sheet of paper and have your child lay down on the paper. Trace and make an outline of your Tot. Have them color their body in, making a shirt, pants, etc. Hang it on a wall in their bedroom or tuck it away until the end of the summer. Don’t forget to dig it out in a few months and re-trace your child. They will be able to see just how much they have grown!

Poem

Growing
by Lilian Moore

I’m taller today
but nobody knows.
I looked in the mirror
way up on my toes.
For the very first time
I saw
my
NOSE!

FromThe Coat in My Closet

I opened the closet and
there was my coat—
the coat that I wore last year…
“I don’t reach your knees,”
the coat complained.
“Whatever did you do?”
“Coat,” I explained,
“I grew.”